Jasper and Gemma are going to play on a teeter totter. Gemma gets on first. When Jasper gets on, Gemma moves into the air, but she does not move to the top.

Question

Which statement could correctly explain the forces acting on the teeter totter? assume that Jasper and Gemma are the same distance from one another.

The forces are balanced because Jasper weighs the same as Gemma.
The forces are unbalanced because Jasper weighs the same as Gemma.
The forces are balanced because Jasper weighs more than Gemma.
The forces are unbalanced because Jasper weighs more than Gemma.

Answer 1

The correct statement to explain the forces acting on the teeter totter is:

The forces are unbalanced because Jasper weighs more than Gemma.

Since Gemma moves into the air when Jasper gets on, it indicates that Jasper must weigh more than Gemma, causing the teeter totter to tip in his favor.